Film production to force closure of CBD street from Saturday to Wednesday

Another day, another street closure due to film production in Hollywood South.

Continuing film activity in New Orleans' Central Business District will close a portion of O'Keefe Street to vehicular traffic this weekend and early next week, city officials have announced.

The road closure -- which will affect the stretch of O'Keefe between Poydras Street and Common streets -- will begin Saturday (July 24) and continue through Wednesday (Aug. 4), from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, according to an advisory issued by the city's Office of Film and Video.

Motorists traveling from Poydras to Canal Street should consider alternate routes, which include Loyola Avenue, Carondelet Street, Camp Street and South Peters Street.

As has become its habit, the film office has declined to identify which local production has requested the street closure, but the big-budget, Warner Bros.-backed superhero film "Green Lantern" -- starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard and Tim Robbins, with Martin Campbell directing -- has been shooting in the area recently, and is one of the only major productions currently up and running in the city.

"Green Lantern" started shooting in New Orleans in March, and is expected to wrap in early August, with an expected sumer 2011 release date.